A High Speed, Run Time Reconfigurable Image Acquisition processor for a Missile Approach Warning System

High frame rate video capture and image processing is an important capability for applications in defense and homeland security where incoming missiles must be detected in very short time frames. Camera systems that operate in the domain can benefit from hardware zooming. This refers to the situation where the camera is capable of changing its frame rate and frame pixel count in real time to capture objects of interest. In a searching mode the full frame is used at a lower frame rate whilst once an object is detected the camera reduces its field of view and increases the frame rate. This paper describes a reconfigurable computing based frame acquisition and processing system together with a reconfigurable test pattern generator that demonstrates the feasibility of this technique for high frame rate application in excess of 400 frames per second. The design is part of a larger ship borne Missile approach warning systems (MAWS) that will use run time reconfiguration in the tracking and detection algorithms.